Kenington



Feb.- 7, 1956 J. KENINGTON ETAL 2,

CAN AND BOTTLE OPENER Filed June 2, 1953 IIMI\\\\\\\\\\\\\ INVENTORS JOHN KENINGTON CLOYD KENINGTON ATTORNEY cutter in operative position; and l United States aPatettt O CAN BOTTLE OPENER Johi: Keningtdn andlClofyd Kenington, Suttle, Ala. Application June 2,-J-'1953, Serial No. 359,028

6lclaims. l(Cl .=-30 Z2) This:iinventionitrelatesuto cutlery-sand more particularly to a can xandribottleuopenerrzof Ia typeaordinarily adaptedzto betcarriedtloosely' inihepocket, on :a key chain or inmther siesiredtmanneniandconsequently, an opener which is f: relatively .smallnand 'of comparatively light weight:

Varieties-articles oflcutleny, including can and bottle openers; have been manufactured :to be carried: in the pock'etbirt: frequently these-devices :have had parts. which would :iproject aand tcause injury either to .the1clothing or theiperson; and were therefore unsatisfactory for these and Dtherureasons;

.Iti aniobject "of zthe'invention'ito overcome thexabove difi'icul t'ies and to: provide a: simple: and inexpensive can andfbottle opener small enough: .to be t l carried in the pocket and iof a zcharacter which will .not cause injury :to the lclnthingor the persons Anotherrobiect ofsthetinuention :is :to provide' a can andtibottle l openerrhavingl a euttingrubladeand a sheath onlholster fins-which ltheublade Y safely maintained when not infuse; and iwithnmeanszwhereby the parts are defi- -nitel:y maintained inl ioperative position when: in use 1 and in inoperative protected: positionxl'whenr not in :use, so that the eading lelement iwilll :be prevented from :causing injury when the device ':is xcarri'edin' vathepocket and is notzbeingaused.

A' further object wi the invention: is to provide .a can and bdttle opener having means for maintaining lthe'blade in the cut beinggmadeinrthe car or receptacle as -well :as havingumeans for: preventing l the undesirable -spray f of liquid i fnom such; can "or :receptacle during ;the opening process Qther D'bjects and advantages 'of the invention will-become apparent from the:'following::description =ztakenhin 'conjunction with" the accompanying-drawings wherein:

Figv l iis Ya lperspectiveillustrating- :one applicationaof the inventionrwith :a fcuttingwbladedn operative position; t

Fig 2, afiside:relevationof-rthe device *of Fig; 1 "with the cutter in inoperative I or-L stored position;

Fig: 3, 2;- detail of them: out blank before being EfOlded;

Figs fi; a'sectional iew on ansenlarged scale with :the

Fig. 6, a similar section of a modified form of the inventions 1 Briefly stated-,qthe can and bottleopener of the present zinuentionmcomprises a body or handle formed of sheet metal Jfdlded along a median line :to'provide for'double :thicknesstand proportionate strength, said body 'at one side edge adjacent its end beingo'f a shape 'itoengage and: open a bottle and being provided along the remaining portion of that edge with a pivoted "cutter for opening cans, the side of the han'dlewbeing provided with a .reeeivingusocket for theblade whenit is not being used and withrsuch blade mounted in .a manner to beheld in operative position while it is being used and the handle being provided with an opening for attaching the device to a key chain or the like.

2,733,505 Patented Feb. 7, 1956 With icontinuedfirefeience to the drawing, a body -10 ct? sheet tnetakis folded along a median l'ine '11 to provide azhandle of -double thickness; thefolded body being providdzmith similaricut out' portio'ns 12 with a hook 13 for engaging runder'the edgeof the cap of" a bottle for removing such cap; the opposite side of the cutout :porthan being adapted to rest upon 'the top of the can while the :capuist=being removed. In order to pierce into and openxarcanyaztknife or xcutter lis -attached to thebody at the sanreedge' as l the tbottle opener. For this purpose the body is provided with an extension or hinge member-'14 whi'ehrislicurved aroundiand into 'iasdepression 1510 provide-ra hinge *member; a Jcutter "16 lhaving. a lslot'l'l :pro- .vidingzarpintle ls sdisposed in the. hinge portion of said handles 7 Stops 20pmjecting rffiommhe'side iof the pintle opposite the cutter engage'utlie edgetiof the*handlefor liiniting the movement of the blade to anarcofsubstantiaIIy Thetcutter blade includes "an inclined cutting edge 21 joinedatowanadditional tip 22 having a cutting surface approximately parallel :to the-pintle 18. The: l euttersbladeiisi provided with: an aperture 23 for permitting liquid atofpass out :of' the :slit formed in atcanftwithout sprayinglthe soperator; It willflae sevident'ithat when the tip 22 -is first caused to penetrate acan, :such tiprprevents the liquidof tthe :can frommpassing outwardly and as :the tipii22. is.ifurtheriadvancedintothe can, the aperture :23 on the blade 16 icomeswto ra 'positionl where :the :penetrated 'walliofiheKean lies between the 'rnargins-ofzthe opening 23- thereby' providingucornmunication fromxthe in'sidezofithe eamto'ithetoutside'of the'can.- At this time the eutter"blade substantiallytcompletely closesrthe pene :tration: inizthe tea-n rand the :cornmunicatio'n trorn :the in:- si'de to'the outside of thezcanzmustvbe obtained through aperture 23- andasueh Laperture 'serves :to deflect any liquid which might otherwise passfi'dii'ectly through the peac trationrlinrtheicanaavall. Thecutterblade ldis'so ratrangedothat the unsharpenednssloping edge'thereof in the region: adjacentitheaopening 23 is' 33. closewapproximation to" an 'lare-'.ofza ;circle withvthe' notch 24abeing theacenter thereof;v

The lhandle-iwprovided with a notch 24- :for :receiving thevlip-zlof :the' acani towbe opened and 'it will :be apparen-t that the can' opener is used bye-first pivotingthebladealfi to itszoperative position and applying; .the-tcan'opener :10 the can with the blade ;0nwthe'- inSide10f IhE :can lip and the motehr24 ireceivinglxsuch iip, The operator-then produces' a rochinggmotion of 1 the cutter blade 'byrocking the thandle;lthereby rcausingzthetip 22 t0- "puncture the can and -theicuttingedge 21-10 produce-Ia .sIitj. After one vrocking motion :the can openerqis :moved along the lip of thecan until theeclge-QZengages-theend of the :slit previously -'formed :andanother rocking, motion is producednmar the can: 'lidis completely 1-severedr: The cuttin-gaedgebf tip 22 servestoprevent the can openertrom being moved out iof 'zthe previously :made slit and thereby avoidsathewpossibility.of the-lid :being attached to spaced points after thewcant opener is moved around the can;

.lommaintaininguthe cutter bla'de 16' in its operative full-line position or: its iinoperative -dotted-line position as :shown: inFig; 5v, the-interior of binge member 14- and the tpintle 18- are made of rnoneeireularoutline. The hinge member .of -iFig.1'5lzisiprovided with a. cam surface 25 whieh maybe a curve of'substantia'lly greaterradi'us than that ofa circular tube ofthe same 'diameterjand therefore, :the' relatively "flat 'pintl'e '18 will be retained itieitherposition. The hingejmember 14 is sufficiently resilient. to permit the slight bending thereof for this pu'rPOse; The hin'geimetnber l fiof :Fig; o'ispr'ovided with an inward projection 26 which is illustrated "some what exaggerated for obtaining asirnilar result of main:

taining the cutter in either its operative or inoperative positions.

For assisting in moving the cutter from its inoperative position within recess 19 to its operative position a fingernail receiving recess 27 may be provided in the handle portion, whereby a person 'may insert a fingernail or a sharp instrument between the cutter 16 and the body for raising the cutter to its operative position.

It Will be noted that the depression may be formed by a stamping operation which would result in a slightly raised rib 28 which provides additional strength to the structure and an opening 29 may be provided in the handle for attaching the device to a key chain or the like.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore, the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A can opener comprising abody of sheet metal folded upon itself to provide a handle of superposed panels, a cutter having an aperture therethrough and an integral pintle, a hinge strap of resilient material extending from the said edge of one of the panelstpivotally embracing the pintle of said cutter, the other of said panels being provided with a recess for receiving the cutter in inoperative position, the interior of said hinge strap and the pintle being of non-circular outline and constructed to maintain the cutter in fixed position sheathed within the recess in the body or in the operative position, the said one panel being provided with an elongated indentation on the face thereof adjacent the said other panel and a rib on the other face for receiving a portion of the hinge strap and for strengthening the handle, stops on said cutter projecting beyond the pintle for engagement with the said edge of the said one panel for limiting the pivotal movement of said cutter, the said edge of said handle being provided with a can lip receiving notch between said hook and said hinge strap to provide a fulcrum about which the opener is rocked, said cutter being provided with a recess for receiving a fingernail for raising the same and said other panel being provided with a cooperating recess to facilitate the insertion of a fingernail or sharp element between the cutter and the said one panel for raising the said cutter, said body being provided with an aperture at one end for attachment to a key chain.

2. A can opener comprising a body folded upon itself to provide a handle of superposed panels, a cutter having an integral pintle, a curved hinge strap extending from the free edge, one panel of the handle pivotally embracing the pintle of said cutter, the

other of said panels being provided with a recess for receiving the cutter in inoperative position, the interior of said hinge strap and the pintle being of non-circular outline and constructed to maintain the cutter in fixed position sheathed within the recess in the body or in the operative position, the said one panel provided with an elongated indentation on the face thereof adjacent the other panel and a rib on the other face thereof for receiving the hinge strap and for strengthening the handle, stops'on said cutter projecting beyond the pintle and engageable with the free edge of the said one pane] for limiting the movement of'said cutter, the free edges of said panel being provided with a can lip receiving notch adjacent the cutter to provide a fulcrum about which the opener is rocked, said cutter being provided with a recess for receiving a fingernail for raising the same and said other panel being provided with a coopcrating recess to facilitate the insertion of a fingernail or sharp element between the cutter and the said one panel for raising the said cutter.

of sheet metal 3. A can opener comprising a body of sheet metal providing a handle, a cutter having an integral pintle, a curved hinge strap extending from one edge of the body engaging the pintle of said cutter, said handle being provided with a recess for sheathing the cutter in inoperative position, the interior of said hinge strap and the pintle being of non-circular ou line and constructed to maintain the cutter in sheathed position within the recess in the body or in its operative position, said body being provided with an indentation for receiving a portion of the hinge strap and for strengthening the handle, stops on said cutter engageable with the said one edge of the handle for limiting the movement of said cutter, the said one edge being provided with a can lip receiving notch, said cutter being provided with a recess for receiving a fingernail for raising the same and said handle being provided with a cooperating recess to facilitate the insertion of a fingernail or sharp element between the cutter and the handle for raising the same.

4. A can opener comprising a body of sheet metal providing a handle, a cutter having an integral pintle, a curved hinge strap extending from one edge of the body engaging the pintle of said cutter, said handle being provided with a recess for sheathing the cutter in inoperative position, the interior of said hinge strap and the pintle being of non-circular outline and constructed to maintain the cutter in sheathed position within the recess in the body or in its operative position, said body being provided with an indentation for receiving a portion of the hinge strap and for strengthening the handle, stops on said cutter engageable with the said one edge of the handle for limiting the movement of said cutter, the said one edge being provided with a'can lip receiving notch, said cutter being provided with a recess for receiving a fingernail for raising the same and said handle being provided with a cooperating recess to facilitate the insertion of a fingernail or sharp element between the cutter and the handle for raising the same.

5. A can opener comprising a body of sheet metal providing a handle, a cutter having an integral pintle, a curved hinge strap extending from one edge of the body engaging the pintle of said cutter, said handle being provided with a recess for sheathing the cutter in inoperative position, the interior of said hinge strap and the pintle being of non-circular outline and constructed to maintain the cutter in sheathed position within the recess in the body or in its operative position, said body being provided with an indentation for'receiving a portion of the hinge strap and for strengthening the handle, stops on said cutter engageable with the said one edge of the handle for limiting the movement of said cutter, the said one edge being provided with a can lip receiving notch.

6. A can opener having a can lip engaging edge, a cutter blade mounted in spaced relation to said lip engaging edge for penetration of and cutting a wall of a filled can, said cutter blade being provided with an aperture extending transversely of the blade and located in the blade so as to pass into and out of the can through the cut formed in the can wall by the cutter whereby the pressure. within the can will be relieved and the contents thereby prevented from spraying upwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

